550EX stopped starting

550ex · Jul 21, 2019

Model: 550EX
Year: 2013 (still looks like new, see picture attached)
Usage Log:
1) Used a few times, including 2 times in the late winter of 2017 and 1 time in the early Spring of 2018.
2) It could not be started in the Summer of 2018, even after added new gas.

Current Situation：
3) Got the gas tank empty and then added new gas.
4) Added new-purchased oil (SAE 10W-40) as manual instructed.
5) Exchanged the spark plug with a new-purchased one of which the part # is exact for 550ex.

briggs-stratton-replacement-engine-parts-692051-64_1000.jpg

6) still not starting.

Please help to advise how to get it start.

Thanks in advance!

bertsmobile1 · Jul 21, 2019

Spray a VERY SMALL AMOUNT of starting fluid down the plug hole and see if the engine fires.
If it does , do the same down the carb
If it fires again remove the carb & clean the pilot ( idle to some ) jet.

Search this forum ( briggs section ) there are around 200 posts with instructions on cleaning the carb

If it fire down the plug hole but not down the carb then pull the rocker cover off and check the valve lash

If it does not fire at all pull the blower cover off , remove the kill wire from the magneto
remove the plug & ground it to the engine then spin the engine and check for a spark.
Or you can spend $14 and buy a red spark tester.

550ex · Jul 22, 2019

Thank you very much for the procedures.

I was aware that the tip of spark plug was wet.

Does that means the carb is working, i.e., jetting the gas out normally?

bertsmobile1 · Jul 22, 2019

No.
If the plug is quite wet then use a new plug as the old one is now contaminated.
latter on when the mower is running properly, you can put it into a hot engine ( don't overtighten ) and it should come good but it will not start a cold engine.

Catherine · Jul 22, 2019

:welcome:

Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to move this thread over to our Briggs & Stratton section.

550ex · Jul 22, 2019

The plug was a brand new one.
As the mower was not starting, I pulled out the plug and found that it's slightly wet (by the gas?), not much.

bertsmobile1 said:
No.
If the plug is quite wet then use a new plug as the old one is now contaminated.
latter on when the mower is running properly, you can put it into a hot engine ( don't overtighten ) and it should come good but it will not start a cold engine.

550ex · Jul 22, 2019

Thank you very much!

Catherine said:
:welcome:

Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to move this thread over to our Briggs & Stratton section.

550ex · Jul 22, 2019

Found an event in the forum:

https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/show...iggs-550ex-not-easily-starting-running-poorly

This is almost the same thing I experienced.

But didn't find final solution to the event.

550ex said:
Model: 550EX
Year: 2013 (still looks like new, see picture attached)
Usage Log:
1) Used a few times, including 2 times in the late winter of 2017 and 1 time in the early Spring of 2018.
2) It could not be started in the Summer of 2018, even after added new gas.

Current Situation：
3) Got the gas tank empty and then added new gas.
4) Added new-purchased oil (SAE 10W-40) as manual instructed.
5) Exchanged the spark plug with a new-purchased one of which the part # is exact for 550ex. View attachment 44893
6) still not starting.

Please help to advise how to get it start.

Thanks in advance!

Scrubcadet10 · Jul 22, 2019

take the spark plug out, and put the plug wire back on it, have someone hold the wire (prefferably with pliers that have a rubber handle on them).
have your help hold the end of the electrode on the plug against some metal on the engine, and pull the rope several times and look for a blue spark at the end of the plug.

550EX stopped starting

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